Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks

THIS week’s NBA Sundays matchup will see the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Lakers and the Mavericks will be facing off for the third time this season, with the Mavs currently holding a 2-0 series edge over their Western Conference rivals.

Preview the big battle between Dirk Nowitzki and Timofey Mozgov on Sunday

Los Angeles Lakers

AP:Associated Press

Lou Williams is enjoying a fruitful season on the young Lakers roster

UNDER the direction of head coach Luke Walton and with an impressive group of young talent, Lakers fans have something to be excited about.

Playing with a younger team but with the presence of more established veterans, such as British star Luol Deng, the Lakers have been a lot more competitive this season.

Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams is the team’s leading scorer, one of five Lakers players to average at least 13 points per game - the others being second-overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young and Julius Randle.

The 22-year-old Randle has made a big leap forward in his second full season, averaging close to 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists per game.

Meanwhile Brandon Ingram, the second pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, got off to a slow start but has improved his production in 2017, averaging close to 11 points per game since January 1.

AP:Associated Press

Britain's own Luol Deng will miss the game for the Lakers through injury

An important addition to the roster last summer, Britain’s own Deng has been ruled out indefinitely after suffering a sprained wrist last week against the Detroit Pistons.

Coach Walton has been aware of the need for his Lakers team to improve their performance in the clutch, where key turnovers and poor decision-making in late-game situations have led to some losses this season.

However this is all part of the learning process for NBA teams, such as the Lakers, loaded with young talent.

On Sunday night, the ability of the Lakers to shut down Mavericks forward, Harrison Barnes, will be key to the outcome of the game.

Player to Watch: Lou Williams

AP:Associated Press

D'Angelo Russell has cooled off a tad after a hot start to 2016-17

30-YEAR-OLD Williams is having his best statistical season as he is posting career-highs in points, steals, free throws, and three-point percentage.

Last month, he scored a season-high 40 points off the bench followed by 38 points two days later, becoming the first Lakers player to score at least 38 points in successive games since Kobe Bryant in March 2013.

Despite playing less than 25 minutes per game, Williams has been able to average over 20 points per game, proving to be a spark plug off the Lakers bench and becoming the team’s leading scorer.

Dallas Mavericks

AP:Associated Press

NBA veteran Dirk Nowitzki will be strutting his stuff against the Lakers

IT has been a season of mixed fortunes for the Dallas Mavericks, as injuries have forced head coach Rick Carlisle to employ 14 different starting line-ups since opening night.

13-time NBA All-Star Dirk Nowitzki has missed more than half the season dealing with a strained right Achilles, but the 38-year-old is slowly rounding into form as he seeks to become only the sixth player in NBA history to hit the 30,000-point mark.

The big silver lining for Dallas has been the play of their top scorer Harrison Barnes, who signed as a free agent last summer after spending four seasons with the Golden State Warriors.

The 2015 NBA Champion is averaging a career-best 20.5 points per game, and is clearly enjoying being the go-to offensive player for the first time in his career.

AP:Associated Press

Youngsters such as Dwight Powell have been given plenty of minutes this year in Dallas

Injuries have also allowed the Mavericks to find more minutes for some of their younger players, most notably Dwight Powell, Justin Anderson and undrafted rookie Dorian Finney-Smith, who has started 27 games so far.

The Mavericks have reached the playoffs 15 times in the past 16 NBA seasons, which is why despite a rocky first half of the season, fans can be assured that the Mavs will use all their experience to their advantage as they attempt to clinch the eighth spot in the Western Conference.

Player to Watch: Dirk Nowitzki

AP:Associated Press

Dirk Nowitzki is a 13-time NBA All-Star thanks to a stunning, ageless career

NBA veteran Nowitzki is getting back to being the star that has carried the Mavericks for a generation after missing more than half the season for injury.

As he recovers from a strained right Achilles, he has put together three solid games in a row, averaging over 20 points between last week and the beginning of this week.

The 2011 NBA Champion is in his 19th season in Dallas and if healthy, can still show signs of the dominant player he was during his prime.

One of the big storyline will be the war between two Euro giants

Who wins? Tweet your prediction using #NBASUNDAYS

‘NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K17’ on BT Sport – a live NBA game every Sunday at 8.30pm. This week on 22 January the Dallas Mavericks will host the Los Angeles Lakers on BT Sport 2.